[pietcux]

They do look similar and since they are both 150ohm drivers I think this is where some got the idea that the HD660S drivers were from the HD700 but even if drivers look the same they can have many other different variable that will alter the sound.


The thought of damaging the drivers did crepe in to my mine when trying to get the HD700 drivers out which is a bit harder than the HD6 series. One good point that came about was that after seeing how small the wires are from the connector to the drivers I can't see how using really large cables would make a difference since it still has to travel from the jack to the driver over the really fine wires.

Yea, the last mile is of rather delicate quality, isn't it?

 

[nicholars]

Do you think Sennheiser, who obviously know what they are doing, would make the HD700 worse by using wire that is too thin there?

*EDIT* sorry I read that wrong, thought you were saying that replacing those wires might improve the sound.

 

[DarKu]

Don't remember posting my review around here.
I personally like them more than both HD600 and HD650

 

[nicholars]

I agree with your review, I think a lot of people with HD650, remind me of someone who has a favourite chair or hat or whatever, that is old and manky looking, but they still like it the best and refuse to swap to anything else.

Not that the HD650 is manky looking (they are old though), but you get my point here... Also possibly because people invested a lot of effort with amps and dacs to power them, they do not appreciate Sennheiser making a new headphone which does not require that. Personally I think releasing headphones that sound good on most amps / dacs, is not a problem at all. You could argue the 660s are actually better value than the 650 because of this.

Overall I think the 660s are more modern and objectively better, whether people prefer that would be down to preference, rather than one being actually better than the other. Although technically the 660s are better than the 650.

Some people want the absolutely smoothest, most inoffensive sound possible, and the 650 is good for that, some people might find the 650 good but boring, the 660s would be a good alternative.

 

[GearMe]

They do look similar and since they are both 150ohm drivers I think this is where some got the idea that the HD660S drivers were from the HD700 but even if drivers look the same they can have many other different variable that will alter the sound.


The thought of damaging the drivers did crepe in to my mine when trying to get the HD700 drivers out which is a bit harder than the HD6 series. One good point that came about was that after seeing how small the wires are from the connector to the drivers I can't see how using really large cables would make a difference since it still has to travel from the jack to the driver over the really fine wires.

Ahhhh...but those internal wires are cryogenic, electron-aligned, silvogoldatanium -- which are a capable of lowering AND tightening bass, removing midrange veils, and extending while sweetening treble!

 

[Ichos]

Don't remember posting my review around here.
I personally like them more than both HD600 and HD650

Great review I agree with every last word.
Your review is on par with my review as I posted it at hxoseikona printed magazine here at Greece and I have linked a Google translate many posts above.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

I caved in and ordered a b-stock 660 directly from Sennheiser. As far as I can tell I just got a brand new 660 for something like 335 US dollars...and they shipped it for free...and I get 2 years warranty.
Pretty neat deal

I have listened to this can before and concluded it basically was a 650 without the “veil” yet with a much cleaner bass.
Well after having spent a little quality time with it the above still holds true, although I would say that the upper mids aren’t as forward on the 660 compared to it’s older sibling, which is nice and most likely also responsible for the perceived increase in stage size methinks.

I have owned a lot of Sennies and always sold them off because a) I find them lacking in the bass (I’d rather listen to electronica on a k702 tbh - at least it produces subbass - detailed at that) and b) I found an Audio Technica that basically does the same thing ie neutrality..but with a larger stage and it does subbass incredibly well too, the R70X.

The 660 though is bringing the Audio Technica some serious competition.
It’s a keeper. I’m naming it ‘Leif’.

 

[Deftone]

Don't remember posting my review around here.
I personally like them more than both HD600 and HD650

Woah man be careful saying that in here, the last time i said that i was told listening to music with a small upper mid dip isnt normal.

 

[nicholars]

Yes pretty much what I would say, for example I liked the 650, but sold them a few years ago, for the following reasons :

A bit "boring" and "slow" sounding, some bass distortion, very little sub bass, slightly bloated lower mid, slightly "shouty" upper mid, "3 blob soundstage", "veliled".

So if we look at this from the perspective of "problems" with the HD650 being objectively "fixed" on the 660s. You could say the 660s fixes ALL of these problems, except for the lack of sub bass.

They still do not have much sub bass, although from what I can remember, the 660s seems better in the bass, faster, punchier, less distortion, slightly more extension, less bloated lower mid / upper bass area. Midrange seems clearer and more even to me, treble seems maybe less natural and less smooth than the 650, but at the same time less "veiled" or "boring".

Overall IMO they are an improvement, but if you want a very warm and smooth sound, and mostly listen to slower type music, you would probably prefer the 650. But I would certainly not say the 660s are worse... to me they sound like Sennheiser knew the "problems" with the 650, and tried to fix them.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

An old friend of mine recently bought this to replace his old 650 and ended up returning it..although he had the most vivid urge to throw it into the sea.
‘What is this bs?!!??!! Where’s the classic sweet soundsignature???’

‘Ahh you mean the haziness and muffled bass response that ever so gently mask whatever harshness you may encounter in your music?
Well they fixed it’

 

[nicholars]

Yes as I said people who love the HD650, may or may not like the 660s. People who find the 650 a bit "veiled / boring / slow", would probably like the 660s more.

 

[DavidA]

Ahhhh...but those internal wires are cryogenic, electron-aligned, silvogoldatanium -- which are a capable of lowering AND tightening bass, removing midrange veils, and extending while sweetening treble!

I was informed that you are in error about the wires, its coated with fairy dust, dipped in the tears of virgins and infused with unobtanium from Pandora

@nicholars, @Kammerat Rebekka, @Ichos, @DarKu: what were you using to drive the HD650 and or HD600? To me this is where I've noticed how one can like either headphone over the other. The HD660S is pretty good / great driven by almost everything I've tried with them and would buy them if they were not over priced IMO. I've found the HD650 takes a decent amp to sound decent and it has usually been an OTL amp but there were a few hybrids that did pretty good also. Another thing to consider is the genre that one prefers since someone that likes EDM or techno would find the HD650 way too slow and really lacking in sub-bass but someone that listens to jazz and blues might find the mids of the HD660S a bit off/recessed.

@nicholars, I think you should read the definition of "veiled" again because when one says a headphone is "veiled" it applies to the entire sound spectrum so its a bit of a paradox to say the HD650 has "shouty" mids and is "veiled" based on what the term "veiled" means. I'd say that the HD650 is rolled off in the highs, a bit too much for some but just right for others.

FWIW I don't use my HD650, HD6XX much these days since I'd rather listen to speakers and I only borrow my friends HD660S when I want to do some comparisons. When I need to use a headphone I rather not be bothered with turning on amps and such so I've really gotten to like my Ypsilon and Nhoord builds, both are better than any of the HD6 series from the headphone jack of computers to me, better dynamics, more extended lows and highs and more comfortable due to being light weight and the large G-pads are comfortable and breath so my ears don't get hot and sweaty. The other headphone that I've been using a lot more these days is my really old (1983) Stax SRD-34 that I've modded to use large ear pads so they are now over-ear versus on-ear but I have to turn on my speaker amp to use them since they are driven by speaker output, gets me about 85% to my SR009/SRM007mk2 that I sold to my friend. I still have way too many headphones as my GF keeps telling me but I'm sure somewhere down the line I might use them more again.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

Well I guess I remain one of the oddballs around this place seeing as I don’t hear any differences between properly designed amps (then again nobody in this part of the site blindtests gear).
I have heard the 650 together with the Jotunheim, X7s, Headtrip, old Pioneer receiver plus a whole bunch of other amps ranging from the über-expensive to rather cheap ones. Nowadays I own a V200 and it makes the Sennie sound EXACTLY the same as the other amps...just a matter of matching the volumes.

Sure I’ve also tried lots of tubes with it and it’s just not my thing. I prefer fidelity over euphonic distortion.

 

[DavidA]

Well I guess I remain one of the oddballs around this place seeing as I don’t hear any differences between properly designed amps (then again nobody in this part of the site blindtests gear).
I have heard the 650 together with the Jotunheim, X7s, Headtrip, old Pioneer receiver plus a whole bunch of other amps ranging from the über-expensive to rather cheap ones. Nowadays I own a V200 and it makes the Sennie sound EXACTLY the same as the other amps...just a matter of matching the volumes.

Sure I’ve also tried lots of tubes with it and it’s just not my thing. I prefer fidelity over euphonic distortion.

consider yourself lucky if all amps sound the same to you

Haven't heard the V200 but a friend let me use her V281, nice amp, neutral with most headphones or just a touch on the warmer side with some headphones but it was not an amp I liked with the HD650, output impedance a bit too low to properly control the drivers which leads to the muddy bass IMO. My friends and I do some very informal blind testing (friends varies a lot in age and listening experience) but its time consuming and we only do it when there is some new gear that gets rave reviews and one of the group buys one to try out like the HD660S.

 

[Mike F]

Sure I’ve also tried lots of tubes with it and it’s just not my thing. I prefer fidelity over euphonic distortion.

So you DO hear a difference between amps. I think you're just saying that you don't hear relatively subtle differences on a blind test, and I think that if most people were as honest as you they would have to say the same. However, one can learn to listen for and hear the subtle differences which exit between different pieces of audio gear. It's just a matter of ear training actually. Whether that's a good thing for the average person is questionable - people end up spending huge amounts of money chasing subtle improvements which in the end, at some level, are only small differences in presentation rather than anything that can be described as technically, let alone objectively, better. Your'e much better off just enjoying music from your HD650's plugged into your old Pioneer receiver. Enjoy the music!